It is lawful for a Muslim man to marry with a woman from the People of the Book (the Jews and the Christians). Allah says: “Lawful unto you in marriage are not only chaste women who are believers, but chaste women among the People of the Book revealed before your time, when ye give them their due dowers, and desire chastity, not lewdness taking them as lovers.”

Muslim scholars of the Mâlikî, Shâfi`î, and Hanbalî schools of law put a condition for a lawful marriage that is takes place in the presence of the woman’s guardian. Thus, the guardian is the one to be contacted for engagement and the one to execute the marriage contract. The guardian of a Christian or Jewish woman will be her Christian or Jewish father or other Christian or Jewish male relative in her father’s absence.

Islam has made as a condition for marrying a woman of the People of the Book that she must be modest and be of those who do not engage in fornication or any sort of wanton sexual behavior.

A woman who is used to being in relationships with many men should not be chosen by a Muslim for a marriage partner.